“What are you trying to do? Hog the best one all night?” Duke whispered to Baron as the second shift of ladies continued to give lap dances to all who wanted them. Only the older men opted for lap dances at this time. All the hottest chicks were on the first shift.
“Don’t hate,” Baron teased his oldest brother. “Just be glad you’re here at all to enjoy any of this, you cheater.”
“Don’t you hate on me for having a woman that wants to stick by my side no matter what,” Duke countered with a scowl, highly defensive about his recent infidelity.
Would the family ever let him live that mistake down? And why weren’t they just as diligent about nagging Earl and Marquess concerning their indiscretions? They’d cheated far more than him. Far more than Duke ever intended to cheat on his wife.
Baron’s gaze grew hard and somewhat sad again at that reminder of Megan’s disloyalty. She hadn’t stuck around long enough for him to be in crisis. At least not in any real crisis.
After two years of togetherness, which included exclusive dating, a large engagement party, and a slue of wedding plans, Megan had simply moved on to a richer man. Or so she thought since Baron had never revealed to her how much he made from outside investments and business dealings. He’d only shared what his teaching salary was.
Unable to watch Megan parade around
Who cares that Megan had also relocated soon after their breakup? Her relatives and associates still lived in
“Count your blessings, big brother. Sasha may grow tired one day. They all eventually do, you know. Need I bring up our brothers or even your very own father?” Baron told Duke, reminding him of what could happen if he continued down the dangerous road he was on.
Duke instantly grew quiet. Like Baron, he knew how their mother had grown tired of her first husband’s infidelities after three sons and seven years of marriage. Upon divorcing Duke, Earl, and Marquess’ father, Ana Maria moved from
That second husband was Count and Baron’s father, Nicolas Weaver. Nicolas adopted Ana Maria’s three oldest boys as his own. He put all of their sons through law, medical, or business schools.
Meanwhile, Ana Maria’s first husband died a broken man in poverty two years ago in
Refusing all lap dances after that, Duke began to conduct himself more like a married man that didn’t want to lose his wife. Less like a man going through a mid-life crisis.
Baron smiled, glad to see his first oldest brother thinking logically again. If only his third oldest brother was so easily swayed to do right, so willing to see the error of his ways.
These days, Marquess just didn’t seem to have the do-right gene in him. He was almost as reprobate as Earl now, which was why the family stopped nagging them both about their behavior. Only their praying mother still got on them about their wicked ways.
Wicked was the most fitting word right now. What other term could be used to describe what Marquess was currently doing?
Waving big bills in the air for Aurelia to see while she performed a two-minute solo routine to Alison Hinds’ Roll It Gal, Marquess deliberately pitted himself against Baron. Yes, he knew his youngest brother wanted that delicious piece of chocolate cake, had even seen their mutual attraction, but he didn’t care. Marquess stopped caring about a lot of things when his wife filed for divorce. He hadn’t been too happy even before then.
Fortunately, Baron’s second oldest brother didn’t start competing for Aurelia’s favor, too. Although Earl usually cheated on his blue-eyed blonde wife with women of the darker hues, he had settled for an olive-skinned dancer from
Not usually competitive against his brothers, Baron just couldn’t sit back and allow Aurelia to give Marquess or any other man here a lap dance. In his mind, she was his…at least for the night.
Baron opened his thick black wallet and looked inside. He smiled down at all the greenery. Suddenly he was glad to be single, childless, and a wise businessman like their father. Less debt and minimum responsibilities meant more disposable income. More disposable income gave Baron an edge over his brothers. Especially the brother that was currently going through a costly divorce.
It was time to make it rain up in here.
Come get under this shower, baby, Baron willed to a dancing Aurelia as he looked up and smiled at her with determination in his eyes.
© 2009 by Mi’Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier
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To Roll it Gal by Alison Hinds:
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